Reading through "A short essay on collecting - the hunter/gatherer" whatever, I came accross people complaining about seing the same figures over and over again and I thought: "What turns a figure into a pegwarmer?"

But then again, I've seen plenty of Saga Massiffs w/Geonosians and Endor Rebel Soldiers around. These last ones are quickly becoming more and more common in large quantities around. Is the Endor Soldier becoming a pegwarmer?

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, on the other hand, is a figure of which you wouldn't buy more than a few (one for a Senate hearing, one for a Jedi Council meeting in his office and one to keep carded) but disappears from the aisles as sonn as it hits 'em.

Then I think: "why do some figures become pegwarmers?". Is it because better sculpted and detailed figures are bought in greater numbers 'cause the're "cool"? Is it because of the case sorting straight from Hasbro? What do you think?

bigbarada

08-29-2002, 12:50 PM

Everytime I try to come up with set-in-stone rules for how figures become pegwarmers, along comes a new figure that breaks all the rules and inexplicably clogs the shelves. However, I think it has to do with a combination of one or both of the following elements:

Overproduction
Lack of Demand

Poor sculpting and poor gimmicks don't seem to have an effect, how else can you explain the Lightsaber Firing Flashback Artoo selling equally with Hoth Chewie and actually selling faster than Floppy Hat Luke and Ceremony Leia?

Or how can Arena Padme be selling at all when Bespin Chewie is warming the pegs?

Prince Xizor

08-29-2002, 01:18 PM

Around here, it actually seems to be collecters faults. The store will get a shipment of something in (For instance, Palpatine) the collecters will suck them right up, so the manager in charge of ordering, then orders a ****load of them, and nobody else really wants him. It has happened around here with Palpatine, Puhr, Saga Han, Windu, and FB Fett.

And now that they have a sh*tload of toys warming the pegs, they don't order anymore. And that means I CAN'T GET TA ANAKIN!

Darth Vellner

08-29-2002, 01:56 PM

Originally posted by Prince Xizor
Around here, it actually seems to be collecters faults. The store will get a shipment of something in (For instance, Palpatine) the collecters will suck them right up, so the manager in charge of ordering, then orders a crapload of them, and nobody else really wants him. It has happened around here with Palpatine, Puhr, Saga Han, Windu, and FB Fett.

And now that they have a sh*tload of toys warming the pegs, they don't order anymore. And that means I CAN'T GET TA ANAKIN!

Its the same here (IN)! Same figures collecting dust. I have tried to but extra (to Customeize), But it did not help....:(

What makes a Pegwarmer.?
Answer = Because better sculpted and detailed figures are bought in greater numbers! Because of the case sorting straight from Hasbro,Overproduction, Lack of Demand, poor gimmicks! And the collecters fault, The store will get a shipment of something in (For instance, Palpatine) the collecters will suck them right up, so the manager in charge of ordering, then orders a crapload of them, and nobody else really wants him. **Quotes from Mar10Sir,
bigbarada And Prince Xizor***

Mar10Sir

08-29-2002, 02:09 PM

Yeah... I guess bigbarada's right. Overproduction of most figures. But then, that means they're underproducing other figures! Or is it the distribution scheme of some D.C.'s (distribution centers).

Here, at least, in places like TRU and WalMart, cases come from their respective D.C.'s already opened. For instance, Djas Puhr and Palpatine come in the same case and we get enough Djas's around but near to zero Palpies. Hmmm...

Still, there's a huge stock of many items just lying around (like the Reek). Then Hasbro complains about losing money! I might be wrong, 'cause maybe they need to put out a run of, say... 100,000 (just to say a number) to break even on their investment, but something regrettable would be that due to losses on the SW line (due to overproduction) Hasbro cancelled the line. That'd be a pity.

Darth Vellner

08-29-2002, 02:13 PM

Mar10Sir

Do you need a Palpatine ?? I can get one or two right now for $3.00 each !!

Mar10Sir

08-29-2002, 02:23 PM

That so???? Yeah, sure! E-mail me at m_cerame@hotmail.com.

sith_killer_99

08-29-2002, 02:25 PM

Some of it is Hasbro's fault. Some of it lies with the stores and collectors.

Hasbro:

It seems that during "Movie Years" Hasbro goes CRAZY with case breakdowns. They put 6 of one figure, 5 of another, and then 1 lonely figure (Say...YODA).

Of course this is going to cause problems. Now you see 6 of the same figure. And for every Yoda sold 6 more of this ONE character show up.

Hasbro would solve a LOT of problems if they went back to doing even case breakdowns. If there are 3 figures in a wave, pack four of each. SIMPLE! If Hasbro produces an "Army Builder" they should ship solid cases. Or at least 2 army builders with 6 of one and half a dozen of the other.

Stores do have a tendency to over order in a "Movie Year" and this leads to stagnate sales. Product dosen't move and nothing new comes in.:mad:

Then there's the question of peg space.

Collectors can be fickle. Not ALL Star Wars collectors remain true to the hobby. During movie years they sometimes crawl out of the woodwork, only to disappear a month or two later.

SCALPERS are also a factor. Sometimes SCALPERS overinflate demand. And sometimes they return merchandise and flood the pegs.

In the end it ends up being a complex equation.

Darth Vellner

08-29-2002, 02:29 PM

ok

Mar10Sir

08-29-2002, 02:32 PM

Yeah, I could be wrong but I think that Hasbro's case breakdown is a gimmick to shove figures down retailers' throats like SK99 just said.

"If you want your one or two of this figure, you MUST buy four of this and four of that. Whatcha' do with the overstock? That's not my prob!"

I say as well as SK does. Do even breakdowns and solid casings of armybuilders AND give retailers the flexibilty of ordering selected casings.

Darth Vellner

08-29-2002, 02:34 PM

Mar10Sir

You've Got Mail!

Lord Tenebrous

08-29-2002, 03:00 PM

When you have at least seven major retailers with full displays, the overall quantity supplied will never meet the quantity demanded at any one store. So we have a surplus.

And that's the way the toy section usually is. When you do a huge promotional aimed at a demographic with no independent income, you get burned. What Hasbro should be doing is accounting for that children's demographic, and instead of adding extra stock for collectors, let collectors eliminate the surplus.

But Hasbro isn't alone in poor decisions. After reading the Master of the Universe promotional plans, I honestly can't justify the amount of merchandise based on the source medium. They even admit that "collectors play a big role in what is surely to be a successful relaunch".

Ah, but that's what a pegwarmer is in these cases. Failed attempts at nostalgia.

Mandalorian Candidat

08-29-2002, 04:05 PM

Delving into the lack of demand reason for a figure to enter a state of pegwarming, there must be some untangible property that renders a figure as such. Is it a coolness factor or an army building factor? I've seen tons of ERSs and POTJ BSGs on pegs so is it that they aren't desirable for building an army or that most people who do that already have their fill?

What about Ketwols? They're pretty ubiquitous right now. Do they just suck as a figure or were overproduced like crazy? It may just boil down to the element that a particular figure doesn't look good, has crummy accessories, or is so minor no one really cares about it other than a hard-core collectors. Thinking about past peggies I can recall:

All are really minor characters with not a whole lot of coolness associated with them.

If this is the case we'll see a lot of Djas Puhr, Palpatine, and maybe even some Ephant Mons around for quite some time.

Lyet

08-29-2002, 04:07 PM

Hello. This is my first time posting to this board, but I've been reading it for a while. A problem I've knowticed is when they decide to release 1 or 2 new figures and pack them in a case with 2 or 3 others who have been out for a while. Naturally, everyone is going to go straight for the new stuff, and leave the older ones on the rack.

Of course, some areas are drastically different in what are pegwarmers. I live in Manhattan KS. We had tons of TA Anakins Mauls, but no Chewies or Hans. We have many Clone Troopers and Mace clogs the shelves, but no Palpatines. You head and hour and a half down the road to Lawrence and the exact opposite for each of these figures is true.

Mar10Sir

08-29-2002, 04:12 PM

Well... I guess retailers play a huge part in this as well. I mean, maybe depending on how large your order is the price of the items may drop so WalMart and TRU, for example, buy tons of cases and spread 'em out. So you got every single retailer competing to try and satisfy the same market niche and in result you have too much of everything.

That'd explain why the figures cost as little as $4.99 in some places and up to $8.99 in others.

:o

tagmac

08-29-2002, 04:27 PM

It's funny....for that brief period two years ago where each new case consisted only of 3-4 new figures, there were no problems finding anything. Nothing was rare, so scalpers held back. Now, it's back to the same case assortments that plagued the line back in 1995-1996.

Count Dooku

08-30-2002, 09:13 AM

Its Hasbro's fault, making a Jar Jar Senator figure was pure stupidity. I don't think anybody wanted him after his performance in Ep 1. By far and away this was a true mistake and thus is the biggest pegwarmer in the line. If anything they should have shipped him 1 to a case, even then I think he still would be a pegwarmer. I won't buy him out of principles because he ruined Ep 1.

TylerD

08-30-2002, 05:38 PM

Hasbro's reason for making Jar Jar was pretty important: KIDS. Since this is who they make the toys for, and since main characters are what most kids buy...Jar Jar is a perfect choice...As for Jar Jar ruining Episode I, that is a matter of opinion...

Jargo

08-30-2002, 07:50 PM

What makes a figure a pegwarmer? ignorance. stores order too much stock for when the movie opens so you end up with tons of the first waves clogging ever'where. Then when they don't shift they assume no-one wants stuff so they order less the next time.

Or, the orders take so long to come through the heavy duty collectors have all gone and bought their figures online where they can be bought almost direct from factory so much earlier than the stores are getting them. Thus when the stores actually get their new stock in there's less demand for items. hence yet more pegwarmers.

bigbarada

08-31-2002, 01:32 AM

Ep2 Jar Jar's not a pegwarmer around here, in fact you would be lucky to find one.

I think where you are has a drastic effect on who is and isn't a pegwarmer. I just read Mandalorian Candidates list of the biggest pegwarmers he remembers and most of those were far from being common where I was. I only saw Prune Face and Mon Mothma once in the stores. Malikili didn't really sit any longer than usual either. Ponda Baba and Weequay were pegwarmers but nothing as bad as Naboo Anakin and Tatooine Darth Maul from the Ep1 line.

However, I do remember seeing stuff like Han w/ TaunTaun and Luke w/ Wampa (the 3 3/4" versions) sitting on shelves for months. It wasn't until recently that I learned they weren't even available in most locations.

As for army-buildability: figures with human faces are normally not very good army builders, especially if they have distiguishing characteristics like goatees or distinct ethnicity (like the oriental Bespin Guard). Blank faces, like what we saw in the vintage line are better for army building. Masks, like Stormtroopers and Clonetroopers, are ideal for armies.

rynobot

08-31-2002, 03:59 AM

if i say so, tghen it is a peg warmer. n .;\:d

Darth Vellner

08-31-2002, 04:10 AM

Originally posted by rynobot
tghen it is a peg warmer. n .;\:d

:confused: I Could not agree more:confused:

rynobot

08-31-2002, 04:21 AM

Originally posted by Darth Vellner

:confused: I Could not agree more:confused:

i said then it is a peg warmer. :)

bigbarada

08-31-2002, 04:41 AM

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

So, the only real way to settle this is for everyone to list who were the most annoying and overstocked pegwarmers in their area and we can come up with a sort of average of the worst pegwarmers.

The worst pegwarmers I remember seeing (I'm talking about figures that sat for years, literally) were:

my cote goes to Ewok Leai,word is there is still some for sale at certain K+B Toys. :)

badtaste

08-31-2002, 10:22 AM

Sorry floks, but I have a very stupid question to ask...

What is a pegwarmer!?

Lyet

08-31-2002, 10:50 AM

My local Kb still has Ewok Leia, Slave Leia, and General Lando in stock, price @ $2.99.

JEDIpartner

08-31-2002, 11:37 AM

I think another reason is that the store that DO have a clue as to what figures are selling decides that they need more of the figures that have sold and, in effect, they end up with more figures they DON'T want.

bigbarada

08-31-2002, 12:59 PM

Originally posted by badtaste
Sorry floks, but I have a very stupid question to ask...

What is a pegwarmer!?

It's a figure that sits on the retail shelves and doesn't sell. They usually sit so long that they collect thick layers of dust on the tops of their bubbles. Ewok Leia and General Lando, those figures have been sitting at the KB in El Paso for, going on, 4 years with not one of them selling. Thus they sit on the pegs for so long that the pegs get "warm" and are never "cold" and empty.

I can only assume that you are from a smaller country that sees very little of the product that Hasbro puts out. Either that or you are being sarcastic and I fell for it.:frus:

Figureman2

08-31-2002, 01:57 PM

Well, I'd say that everyone has offered very intelligent opinions so far, and I agree with many of their views: overproduction and ordering too much at the beginning of the run are major causes. However, let's consider this factor also:
The line's success is probably dictated mostly by kids. Let's face it: there are more kids in the world who want action figures than there are collectors. Probably a considerable difference in numbers, let's say (this is sheer guesswork, by the way, but I'm probably not that far off).
Now, let's say that "kids" constitute anyone from 3-10 years old. Arbitrary numbers, yes, but let's just say. A ten-year-old in 2002 was born in 1992. He would have turned seven in 1999, when The Phantom Menace came out. At the age of seven, that was probably the first Star Wars movie he saw. PROBABLY. Now, he's going to want the figures for The Phantom Menace. But who? Will he want Captain Tarpals or Captain Panaka? Probably not; he won't even remember who they are. Will he want Adi Gallia or Boss Nass? Who? He will want Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, Darth Maul, Anakin, Jar-Jar, and possibly Queen Amidala. The retailers see that these figures are selling very well and inevitably order more from the next wave, where we see Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon in Naboo gear, Darth Maul from Tatooine and Queen Amidala from her Coruscant meeting.
Now, the kid goes back to the store, ready for some more figures, possibly. He sees Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Darth Maul, and Queen Amidala, only this time, in new clothes. He immediately rules out the Queen Amidala; she doesn't have any blasters. MAYBE he'll buy the two Jedi and the Sith Lord, but it's not a given since he already has them in other outfits.
The retailers now see that these great numbers of figures aren't paying off, and they order less and less of waves that may be collector-oriented because they see that kids won't buy the figures offered. Collectors will pick up some of these figures, but not huge amounts, and the figures that the kids didn't pick up remain on the shelves. Kids won't pick these figures up, again, because they don't look cool and they're not familiar with the characters.
Time warp three years ahead to Attack of the Clones. Same dilemma. The kids want Anakin, Obi-Wan, Padmé, Jango, Dooku, and Yoda. Collectors also dig these figures, especially Hangar Duel Anakin, Dooku, and Yoda. Kids aren't all that interested, however, in Female Tusken Raider or Random Jedi X. However, to get more Anakins and Dookus, retailers have to order more cases filled with the Tuskens and Jedi. Collectors will be sure to pick up everything, but how many Kit Fistos can one person buy? Two? Three, maybe? Thus Random Jedi and Female Tuskens warm the pegs.
Now, this still doesn't explain why figures like Han and Chewbacca would warm the pegs. My theory? If the figures' primary audience is made up of ten-year-olds-and-youger, would they really have enjoyed the original trilogy, even if they've seen it? Han Solo? Chewbacca? They'd probably say these people weren't in Star Wars if asked, because they've never seen the original trilogy; probably never even heard of it. While collectors may really dig these figures (I love the new Chewbacca, personally), again, collectors are not the primary consumers of these figures.
Whew... that was a mouthful... half of it probably doesn't make sense, but that's my view on the situation. Hope it's well-received.

Mar10Sir

08-31-2002, 06:22 PM

Thanks of that fine (long, yes, but intelligent) statement. It's a pity that Hasbro doesn't make an exclusive collector's line to satisfy the demands of this lesser market (lesser compared to kids, but not small in my opinion).

I always thought that they (Hasbro) should put out a special product line just for collectors. Better sculpted and painted, with better quality accesories (not these new rubbery plastic guns that keep bending) and no "action" features that require disfiguring the item to place buttons, wheels or magnets.

Yes, they'd be more expensive than the consumer (kids) line, but the collector market after all is willing to pay a bit more for better items 'cause most collectors are people who (like me) saw the original trilogy as kids and now have their own income to spend on whatever we like (as long as we stay single). :)

In reply to bigbarada's inquiry, I'd say the biggest pegwarmers in my area since the POTJ line have been:

Hasbro DID make a line like that... they called it Expanded Universe :) ... they just didn't make it widespread enough.

rynobot

08-31-2002, 06:26 PM

TRU still had Darth Mual Jedi Duel in May.

bigbarada

08-31-2002, 06:40 PM

Originally posted by Mar10Sir
Oh, and did I mention the Reek?

Sorry to hear that you're having such a hard time finding the Reek in your area.:p;) I didn't list any Saga pegwarmers, but the Reek is definitely a contender for the top spot (however, I don't think any beast will be able to pegwarm like the Ronto and SE Jabba, although the Ep1 Opie and Kaadu came pretty close).

Amanaman was a pegwarmer for you? I wish he could have warmed pegs here for a while, I only saw him and Leia a couple of times around Christmas-time last year; then nothing. In contrast Bacta Luke is STILL clogging shelves at my Wal-Mart and DX Maul only recently disappeared, but he was keeping Luke company for a long time.:)

plo koon 200

08-31-2002, 08:18 PM

I think a pegwarmer becomes a pegwarmer because of when it was relased. I.e. There was more early eiI figures than there was of BoShek wave because of the time of year and when they were relased. If it is relased when a movie is new is usually a pegwarmer If it came in a case with a lot of new figures chances are it will become a pegwarmer. If it sucked it may go off the shelves when it first comes out but within three months it becomes a pegwarmer. If a popular figure is relased in a ton of cases eventually it becomes a pegwarmer. If a figure only has kid appeal it becomes a pegwarmer and if it only has collector appeal it becomes a pegwarmer. If by accident a store overprices it becomes a pegwarmer. Ex: Amanaman. If it is an exclucive often it is not a pegwarmer.

Mar10Sir

08-31-2002, 10:09 PM

Bigbarada, Amanaman was not a pegwarmer. It STILL IS!!! It was a VHTF figure for a few months 'til KB Toys brought in probably a whole cargo container of just POTJ deluxes. You want an extra Amanaman? I can get you a DOZEN! They're selling around 8 or 9 bucks at KB.

It's a pity, 'cause it's a nicely made figure.

As for the Reek, it's been just sitting on shelves since day 1. Probably due to it's price. I, for one, ame waiting for them to drop at around $12 to get one. At $24.99 (KB) it's a poor buy.

Another shelfwarmer, should I say, is the AOTC Slave I.

thespar

08-31-2002, 11:32 PM

the pegwarms around here are any of the first 40 minus yoda. the first four dexule and all the ep2 vechiles.

TylerD

09-01-2002, 03:22 AM

I think it really depends on the area where you live. I reside in California, but travel to Ohio at least twice a year. Things that I can not find here, I can usually find in Ohio. Then about a month later, those things start showing up around here. Some examples:

Plus, who remembers when Han Solo with Taun Taun and Luke with Wampa (which I STILL don't have) were showing up at a store called Farm and Fleet (now out of business- at least in Ohio anyway). There are no Farm and Fleets in California!!!

So, it really depends on where you live. I get so frustrated when I read things on the forums like, "Man, Teemto and Ki-Adi are CLOGGING the pegs around here!" I STILL don't have these figures, and am thinking that perhaps they will never show up. They are probably sitting in the stockroom because figures like Shaak Ti, Chewbacca, Han Solo, Endor Rebel Soldier, and various deluxe figures are simply not selling...

Darth Vellner

09-01-2002, 03:27 AM

Originally posted by TylerD

Plus, who remembers when Han Solo with Taun Taun and Luke with Wampa (which I STILL don't have) were showing up at a store called Farm and Fleet (now out of business- at least in Ohio anyway). There are no Farm and Fleets in California!!!

So, it really depends on where you live. I get so frustrated when I read things on the forums like, "Man, Teemto and Ki-Adi are CLOGGING the pegs around here!" I STILL don't have these figures, and am thinking that perhaps they will never show up. They are probably sitting in the stockroom because figures like Shaak Ti, Chewbacca, Han Solo, Endor Rebel Soldier, and various deluxe figures are simply not selling...

AMEN! I found teemo/ki-adi at Meijers also back in the day I found Han with Taun Taun/Luke with Wampa at Meijers......I live in Indiana next to Ohio...
Now I find alot of stuff at Wal-Mart like all my SAGA stuff...
and I find stuff months after its release at Toy's R Us

Figureman2

09-01-2002, 11:26 AM

I find that Target is usually the best place to pick up new stuff. They don't get things as soon as they come out, but they don't get them too much later either. I was able to pick up a Deluxe C-3PO recently, and I picked up the Han Endor and Cloud City Chewie almost as soon as they came out there. Anyway, around here, the pegwarmers vary by store. At Target, pretty much anything from the newer waves warm the pegs, but at KB, they've still got lots of Female Tuskens, Clone Troopers, Senator Jar-Jars, Battle Droids, Mace Windu GRs, and Jango Fett FBs hanging around.

Turbowars

09-01-2002, 04:42 PM

I think it mostly Hasblows fault. Lets take JarJar. He didn't sell when EP1 came out, so why would they think he would at EP2. They should of short packed him and no one would have cared, well maybe some, but by now Hasbro should know that bad guys sell better. Someone said somthing about the Endor trooper being a pegwarmer, well I believe it's do to his pose. If they would have made him in a standard pose there wouldn't be any warming the pegs.

El Chuxter

04-06-2011, 02:31 PM

Eight years of further analysis have led me to the conclusion that any figure with two X-chromosomes is destined to be either a pegwarmer or impossible to find. No middle ground here.

mtriv73

04-08-2011, 11:34 AM

I still haven't seen the new Padme on the pegs and ESB Leia disappeared quickly as well. Overshipping causes pegwarming. The vintage collection sandtrooper and E3 clone trooper are just coming in way too many waves. Very few people will army build at $9 a pop. Especially when similar figures have been flooding the market for the last 5 years, and the same similar figures are available in legends packaging right beside it on the pegs for $6.50.

Yarna should have been pulled after the first case revision of her wave.

The Neimoidian warrior probably shouldn't have happened at all, but certainly shouldn't have been shipped in the quantity it was.

Since it's only 1 or 2 figures pegwarming, that means that the rest of the wave is actually selling well and Hasbro has just misjudged interest in the others.

Bel-Cam Jos

04-10-2011, 10:30 AM

I'd also say, that in a case of a HTF figure (usually is also only one-per-case), when they re-pack older ones with that one, those'll warm the stockles of the pegs' hearts.